Flanged road mat and method and apparatus for assembling same

ABSTRACT

An overlapping flanged mat system for assembling the mat system for fabricating an artificial road including parallel upper surface boards extending longitudinally in one array, an intermediate plurality of surface boards transverse to the upper layer, and a lower set of boards extending parallel to the upper boards, said lower set having an inner-connecting section, extending outwardly from the longitudinal position of the first and second set of boards, creating a landing surface. The mats are inner-connected by laying down a succession of such three-ply mats to form an artificial road.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a new and improved three-ply inner connecting method and apparatus for a board road system and the mat which is used to form the board road. In the oil field and other areas, it is customary to lay down a temporary road although, it must be understood that the road of the present invention can form a bed or an intermediate bed and be covered over with asphalt or shell and become more than temporary.

[0002] The present system prevents heavy equipment trucks from sinking or becoming stuck and prevents tearing upheaval or unwanted damage of different soils.

[0003] There are several different board road patents which have supplanted or taken the place of work crews for laying down board roads. The reason is that a mat system can be dropped quickly and effectively and picked up and reused again and is actually more stable and cost-effective than ordinary crew installed board road systems.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a view of one mat of the proposed flanged mat system.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a top view of a series of mats connected longitudinally.

[0006]FIG. 3 is a top view of a series of mats connected longitudinally and laterally.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0007] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a mat is illustrated at 2 for forming a board road which may be laid out in an end-to-end relationship with each of the mats or the mats may be laid out in some other overlapping configuration or in a side-to-side configuration.

[0008] The mat 2 that is comprised of an upper section 5, intermediate section 6, and lower section 7. While such sections 5 and 7 are indicated as being upper and lower, it must be understood that to form overlapping board roads, the mat may be flipped over such that section 5 becomes the lower section and section 7 becomes the upper section so that the mats are inner-connected together in a desired configuration.

[0009] The sections 5, 6, and 7 are each illustrated as being made of lumber that may be made of any other type of material, including concrete, fiberglass, particularized rubber, along with some other types of composition, rubber, and any other types of materials which might be lighter, heavier, more flexible or less flexible. Sections 5, 6, and 7 are typically connected together by bolts, nails or other suitable type of connecting means.

[0010] Each section, 5, 6, and 7, contains a plurality of boards 8, 9, and 10, respectively. Sections 5 and 7 have boards positioned parallel to each other and as illustrated, sections 5 and 7 are the same width (w) and same length (l), but are offset longitudinally relative to each other, such that section 7 has a section or portion forming an inner-connection or connection extension 11 and such that, sections 5 and 6 form an inner-connection gap 12, which extends out past the end 13, of section 7.

[0011] As further illustrated, section 6 is the intermediate ply or section and contains a plurality of boards 9 which extends transverse to the boards 8 and 10 of sections 5 and 7, respectively; is of the same width and length (W and L) of section 5, such that, sections 5 and 6 are of the same width and length (W and L). Then, both sections 5 and 6 form an overlap on one end with section 7 and a gap on the other end to thus also form the inner-connecting end 11 and inner-connecting gap 12, as set forth herein above. Thus, the mat is formed, as illustrated.

[0012] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2, mats 20, 21, and 22 are laid out to form a longitudinally extending board road as desired. As illustrated in FIG. 3, one simple array of mats may be laid out to form a staging area or mat system for a turn around or delivery area for various trucks. As illustrated in FIG. 3, mats 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, can be laid out in various arrays for forming squares, rectangles or any other type of configuration suitable for an array for receiving trucks as desired. 

What is claimed:
 1. A mat for forming a road including the following: a. having three sections with the first and third section capable of being either the top or bottom surface as desired, said first and third sections formed of a plurality of boards made of lumber or other suitable materials and being of the same width and length (W and L) said boards positioned parallel to each other, said first and third sections being offset longitudinally to each other to form a inner-connecting receiving section and an inner-connecting receiving gap; and b. a third intermediate section positioned between said first and third sections and of the same width and length as of said first and third sections, having a plurality of parallel boards in said intermediate section positioned transverse to the boards of said first and third sections, said intermediate section thus forming an inner-connecting receiving section and an inner-connecting receiving gap with said first section wherein a mat is formed for inner-connecting succeeding mats with each other to form a board road.
 2. The mat of claim 1 wherein the first layer is formed by a first set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards, wherein the second layer is formed by a second set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the first set and extending the length of the first layer and flush with the edges of the first layer, wherein a third layer is formed by a third set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the second set and substantially parallel to the first set, the third layer elements are disposed so as to be offset a substantially equal amount from one end of the unit extending a like amount from the other end of the unit, the second layer is attached to the first layer; and the third layer is offset from and attached to the second layer.
 3. A method of constructing board roads comprising the steps of: a. assembling a plurality of similar mats wherein each said unit is formed by having a first layer having a set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards, wherein the second layer is formed by a second set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the first set and extending the length of the first layer and flush with the edges of the first layer, wherein a third layer is formed by a third set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the second set and substantially parallel to the first set, the third layer elements are disposed so as to be offset a substantially equal amount from one end of the unit extending a like amount from the other end of the unit; the second layer is attached to the first layer and the third layer is offset from and attached to the second layer; b. laying down a first mat with the third layer runner elements in contact with the ground; c. laying down a second unit, with the third layer runner elements in contact with the ground and aligned with the first unit so that the first layer runner elements and the second layer runner elements of the second unit overlap the third layer runner elements of the first unit; d. thereafter laying down units extending from the second underlying or first overlaying unit to extend the decking in the longitudinal direction as desired.
 4. A method of forming an array or staging area comprising: a. The steps of assembling a plurality of similar mats wherein each said unit is formed by having a first layer having a set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards, wherein the second layer is formed by a second set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the first set and extending the length of the first layer and flush with the edges of the first layer, wherein a third layer is formed by a third set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the second set and substantially parallel to the first set, the third layer elements are disposed so as to be offset a substantially equal amount from one end and one side of the unit extending a like amount from the other end and other side of the unit; the second layer is attached to the first layer and the third layer is offset from and attached to the second layer; b. laying down a first unit with the third layer runner elements adjacent to the ground; c. laying down a second unit at the longitudinal end of the first unit, with the third layer runner elements in contact with the ground and aligned with the first unit so that the first layer runner elements and the second layer runner elements of the second unit overlap the third layer runner elements of the first unit; d. laying down a third unit at the lateral ends of the first and second units, with the third layer runner elements in contact with the ground and aligned with the first and second units so that the first layer runner elements and the second layer runner elements of the third unit overlap the third layer runner elements of both the first and second units and where the intersection of the first and second units is substantially in the middle of the third unit causing the mats to be staggered when compared laterally; e. thereafter laying down units extending from any underlying or overlaying unit to extend the decking in the direction desired. 